Frugia
The Grand Duchy of Frugia is an archipelago region of Kingdom of Borealis . While historically the duchy was contained to the Frugian archipelago and its four main and countless small islands, following the duchy's participation in the Feuerbrand Uprising on the Firestarters' side, it has incorporated mainland grafreichs of Niebel and Flachmoor [ NB south of Tiefmoor], formerly of Weideland . Lush, fertile, strategically located seaside lands of Frugia are among the most densely populated and vibrant in Thessea, combining elements of Borean, native Celestine, old Alurean, dwarfen and Faraamese culture into its own, unique and somewhat addictive blend. However, for the past century these lands have been going through painful turmoil, slowly turning the island duchy into the most dangerous civilised area of Borealis - all because of the viscious Night Wars waged in its towns and countryside by Frugian "noble" families. 'Ruler and politics' The grand dukes of Frugia are elected by Frugian elector grafs from among themselves. The system is similar to the one that Borealis had during the troubled times of the Electorship, after the decline of the Ferdinand dynasty. After the Electorship was abolished by Adelhard IV Abendstern, he decreed that the system be preserved in Frugia to foster at least a semblance of cooperation within its dysfunctional nobility. This backfired spectacularly as it allowed the viscous Sforza family to bully, bribe and murder their way into power. In X55, afraid of the absolute ruthlessness of Sforza and their willingness to slaughter entire families for marginal economic gain, as well as the uncanny ability to avoid justice of the corrupt court in Volgen, the grafs elected common-born Vittorio Sforza as the grand duke, following the mysterious death of his predecessor. As the grand duke, Lord Sforza rules both Frugia and its putrid underbelly with a spiked iron fist. Untouchable due to his position and status, he all but smothered the biggest rival "noble" families of Giovanni and Morelli, while his blackshirts, commanded by the de jure family head Luca Sforza, "cleaned up" the fallout at night. The biggest prize of the Frugian dukedom is, of course, the magnificent city of Altaforte, Frugian capital, the economic capital of Borealis and one of the world's biggest trading hubs, alongside Mercuria, Sina and Wayfall. Yet in X64, Queen Alicia (with the Firestarters' assistance) removed Altaforte from Frugian demesne and made it into Volgen's direct vassal, granting a Royal Inquiry and the Uprising veteran Alberecht of Brenna an old title of Duc and Castellan of Altaforte. 'Frugian "nobility"' Even though Frugia hasn't been independent for centuries, it remained one of the most distinct and peculiar regions of Thessea. Frugian islands thrive on agriculture and rare plants and oil exports. Those traders who managed to make a fortune out this trade (both legally and illicitly) have quickly accumulated large amount of wealth and influence. Add into the mix Frugian family values, lack of pretense of nobility and feeling of "noblesse oblige", hot Frugian blood and general disrespect for law and order - and you get the progenitors of modern Frugian "nobility, the kings of Thessean organised crime. The families really came into their own during the reign of Abendstern dynasty, when the isolation of Borealis and extra customs on Frugian goods (apparently to protect Volgen agricultural exports) created perfect environment for smuggling. In less than a few decades the families became exceedingly rich and powerful. At this point, however, the low-key competition between them rapidly escalated, spilling into the night-time streets of Frugian settlements, with thugs waging literal wars against each other to expand their influence and destroy the competitors. This became knows as the Night Wars - the biggest cause of peacetime violent deaths in Thessea, with victims, thug and bystander alike, numbering dozens every day. Frugian wealth and connections make the families a force to be reckoned with not only in the Borean royal court but also in the Free Cities and even eldari and dwarfen lands. Ruthless and cruel, their executors and "representatives" use whatever means necessary to bring wealth and respect to the families - threats, racket, arson, murder - as well as indulging themselves in contraband, brothel and gambling management and sometimes even drug trafficking and slavery. Three most prominent families right now are Morelli, Giovanni and Sforza. Boosted by royal protection and powers of dukedom, the Sforza have managed to drastically improve their standing both at home and around Thessea, forcing other smaller families either to assimilate or to seek shelter and business elsewhere. The Giovanni family has probably suffered the most - the old don got assassinated in broad daylight in the same day as several crippling blows were made to their projects and forces around the continent. The new don - Niccolo Giovanni - has tried to relocated their major sphere of influence to Blaustadt and the Far Reach but was foiled by the adventuring Tyragelle Collective. The future of the Giovannis looks very bleak, as the Free Cities,the Royal Inquiry (led by Lord Sforza's daughter, Flavia), the Firestarters and the bloodthirsty Sforza are all among their deadly enemies. 'Demographics' Population of Frugia is approximately 4.5 million people; most of them living on the four main islands of the archipelago. These people are spread across the islands rather evenly; Frugia's urban population is rather small by Borean standards, because aside from the gargantuan Altaforte there are very few other notable cities. Around 60% of Frugians are ethnic Westerlings, tan and dark haired, with hot hearts and heads. Some 15% are ethnic Celestines, who were the first to inhabit the islands during the first migration of the mankind and possess unique culture and language. The Celestine language is so renown for its beauty, that to this day it is used by most churches and cults in songs and during prayer. The rest are Boreans with a tiny percentage of Faraamese, Albionese, dwarf and halfling population (mostly concentrated in Altaforte and it suburbs). However, the biggest racial minority there are Frugian orcs, who tend to live in rural areas and are often serving one or the other "noble" family as muscle. Languages: Borean, Mercanta, Celestine, Dil-speech (among Faraamese traders) 'Geography' Frugia has a pleasant, Mediterranean-like climate, with warm yet not scorching summers, comfortable winters and enough precipitation to make its lands the most fertile in Thessea. Its main and larger islands tend to have plenty of developed agricultural lands, pine forests and sandy shores, while the smaller ones are usually rocky, its inhabitants relying on fishing and pearl harvesting for livelihood - especially in Frugia's Northern waters, where the proportion of native Celestines is the highest. The abundance of cliff-bound lagoons and rocky islands also creates a perfect breeding ground for local pirates and thugs, who re-purpose stunning azure grottoes of Frugia as hideouts and secret shipyards. Biomes: * Terrestrial: temperate forests, chaparral forest, chaparral shrublands * Aquatic: marine 'Economics' * Primary exports: wood, wheat and products, medicinal plants, oils, exotic and luxury agricultural products, fruit, wine, cheese * Imports: very wide variety, due to Altaforte's status as one of the Realm's biggest trading hubs